This site provides all information, instructions, downloadable materials, and links to online materials for an exercise developed for use in a Geology of the National Parks course. Using the provided maps, groups of 3 to 6 students are asked to identify between 8 and 12 geologic provinces based on topography, the age of rocks, and the rock types. As a result of this exercise, students will become familiar and comfortable with reading maps and legends, learn basic rock types and how geologic time is divided, define geologic provinces that will form an outline for learning the geology of the U.S., and be able to discuss the maps they create based on what they've learned. This exercise is intended for one of the first class meetings of the quarter or semester and ideally students will approach this exercise without much or any prior knowledge of the geology of the United States.

Intended for grade levels:

Middle (6-8)

High (9-12)

College (13-14)

Type of resource:

For the classroom:

Computer activity

Lab activity

Subject:

Geographical Sciences:

Physical geography

Geological Sciences:

Geology

Technical requirements:

Adobe Acrobat reader

Cost / Copyright:

No cost

Copyright and Other Restrictions Information Is Unknown.

DLESE Catalog ID:DLESE-000-000-007-453

Educational standards:

National Science Education Standards (NSES):

5-8:

Unifying concepts and processes:

Evidence, models, and explanation

D - Earth and space science:

Earth's history

Structure of the earth system

9-12:

Unifying concepts and processes:

Evidence, models, and explanation

D - Earth and space science:

Origin and evolution of the earth system

National Geography Standards:

The uses of geography:

How to apply geography to interpret the past

The world in spatial terms:

How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information